Welcome to the Safe House
Posted June 21, 2017
By MicahGarnett_NRT, Staff Reviewer
Sanctuary is defined as a place of refuge or safety. That's exactly what Renaissance Movement Music desires to provide with The Safe House Project, an initiative created by the label and Kerus Global to raise awareness about human trafficking around the world. The goal is to raise enough funds to build a safe house in South Africa by the end of the year, and the Safe House album is the means to do so. The much-anticipated compilation album is comprised of RMM label artists Legin, Sinai and Focus, and it features appearances from other hip-hop greats such as Da' T.R.U.T.H., Spec and Eshon Burgundy.
Safe House is powerful because of its unique backstory. With 100% of the proceeds from the album going directly to the safe house, the message of the album is at the forefront. Sure, the wordplay is exciting and the beats can stand with the best of the genre, but it's the pure, honest passion in every bar that sets the album apart from its peers.
The album plays out almost like a novel, building up the tension and conflict of the problems in the early tracks while offering freedom, truth and hope to counter the darkness. The title track "Safe House" says it best: "The name of the LORD is a strong tower / the righteous run to it for the strong power / Man, I swear to God I feel safe now / anywhere in God's hand is my safe house." "Shattered People" functions as the climax of the album, continuing the ongoing theme of faith and redemption with a beautiful, introspective look at the importance and value of "even the least of these" (as seen in Matthew 25:40).
There's a smart brand of humor present on the album as well. One of the best lines on the album comes from the banger "Pride:" "Dark world / I've got the light / You can see my glare, boy / The galaxy know every verse / I catch fire like an Android." It's little things like this that make repeat listens worth it.
James 1:27 describes true religion as looking after orphans and widows, so it's fitting that "Show Them" acts as an epilogue of sorts, challenging the listener to be proactive in showing God's love in their everyday interactions with other people. It's convicting and a beautiful way to close the album.
The Bottom Line: Safe House is a gut-wrenching call-to-action, provoking difficult topics in order to spur an authentic response. The beats will hook you, but it's the message that will stay with you long after the album finishes. You can learn more about the Safe House Project here.
Song To Download Now:
"Welcome" (Get it on iTunes here.)
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